YORK, Pa. — LifePath Christian Ministries' mission since the 1960s has been to serve the homeless and hungry in York.
To help the community better understand the plight of those less fortunate, LifePath will ask people to "Wear it for a Week" in November. The challenge is meant to foster a deeper understanding of what it means to be homeless and/or not have a choice when it comes to what you wear every day.
"It is a complex issue, and one of the complexities is just having people understand and appreciate what folks who are homeless are going through," Patrick Ball, interim CEO of LifePath Christian Ministries, said. "What we're trying to do is help bridge that gap between our understanding and the lack of understanding that's out there."
At the end of the five days of wearing the same clothes, participants and community members will come together at WellSpan Park to hear from guest speakers and share their experiences from the week.
LifePath officials say they have seen more individuals reaching out for help over the past summer, hitting numbers that the organization does not usually see until winter.
"Last year, we provided over 75,000 for the community," Ball said. "This year, we'll provide over 90,000."
This is the second year LifePath Christian Ministries has hosted "Wear it for a Week." The initiative this year will take place from Nov. 6 - 10 to coincide with National Homeless Awareness Week.
For more information on the event and how to participate, click here.
Anyone who is looking to be connected with resources can also find more information on the services LifePath offers here.